After the interview email template
The thank you that adds something rather than repeats.
A post interview email should be sent within 24 hours and answer a question better than you did on the day. A plain thank you is forgettable; a sharper answer to the thing you fumbled is the reason to write at all.
At a glance
| Use it when | Within a day of any interview |
|---|---|
| Length | 80 to 130 words |
| Tone | Warm, brief, not grovelling |
| Ask for | Nothing, beyond next steps if unclear |
The template
Subject lines that work with it
- Thank you - [role title]
- Following up on [day] - [role title]
- [Role title]: one more thought on [topic]
How to write this email well
- Pick the question you answered worst and answer it properly in three sentences. That is the entire value of this email.
- Reference something specific from the conversation so it cannot read as a template.
- Send to everyone you met, individually, with different second paragraphs.
Questions
Does a thank you email actually matter?
It matters when it adds something. A generic one is neutral at best, and reads as a formality.
How soon should I send it?
Same day or the next morning, while the panel is still comparing candidates.
What if I met four people?
Write to each separately. Identical emails to a panel who compare notes is worse than sending none.
More job and recruiting templates
Job and recruiting
Job application
The email that carries your CV.
Job and recruiting
Candidate outreach
Approaching someone who is not looking for a job.
Use this template in Gmail
Copy the HTML above and paste it into Mailplate, the free Gmail extension that inlines the CSS so the layout survives sending. Or edit the wording directly in the preview and insert it into your message.
See Mailplate